Late Night Health Check
by The-Bored-Bookworm
Summary: Winter is a beautiful time to have fun. If you're not sick that is. MariChat Fluff Post Reveal My piece for the ML Secret Santa. Gift to LittleFrostFox19 on tumblr


Winter in Paris is a beautiful time of the year. The snow blankets everything in a way that completely changes the way the city once looked. It's something almost magically. A time when friends and loved ones go out and have fun in the new snow.

Except if you are Marinette, and sick in bed.

She wasn't at the point where she couldn't leave her bed, all that was left from her cold was a slightly runny nose and the occasional cough, but her parents prefered to play it safe and keep her in doors until she fully recovered.

That made being Ladybug a bit more difficult that usual, but that did not bother Marinette in the slightest. She had long grown used to those types of complications.

What bugged her was that she had missed her double date with Adrien, Alya, and Nino.

They had been planned the double date for a while due to Adrien's busy schedule. They had finally found an afternoon they would all have free for a walk through the park, a movie, and dinner together.

But then Marinette caught the flu.

So she spent last two days in her room with only Tikki and her parents occasional health check up when the shop wasn't too busy.

She felt guilty having to cancel after so much planning but she had no other choice. They all agreed to have a double date another time and that they would at least hang out together during lunch break.

But Marinette new she would spend time with Adrien before that.

The tap on the sky-light above her head was expected.

Reaching above her, Marinette opened the hatch to be greeted by a gust of cold air and a pair of green glowing eyes.

"Sneaking out again I see," she teases.

"What choice did I have?" said Chat Noir as he lowered himself onto her bed, moving a box of tissues out of the way so he would have more space, "My girlfriend stood me up today. Needed my Princess to heal my wounded heart."

"Have I mentioned how much of a dork you are?" Marinette says followed by a quick sneeze.

"And have I mentioned how beautiful you are," he says as he hands over the tissue box he had moved earlier, "even when you're sick."

His night vision came in handy in moments like these. He could clearly see that her hair was down, a rare occurrence but a lovely sight to see. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, likely a product of her cold but still something he never tired of seeing. It didn't matter that she was sick, he could find beauty in any and every part of her.

He could gaze at her for hours.

But her voice bought him out of his thoughts.

"What are you doing here Adrien?"

"It's Chat Noir right now, you shouldn't get in the habit of calling me Adrien while I'm in the suit. We don't want a slip up when we are in public." It wasn't often that it was the one reminding her to be careful of their identities, it felt a little nice being the one correcting her.

"I know, but you didn't answer my question."

"I can't check up on my girlfriend when she's sick."

He loved the feel of that word on his tongue. Girlfriend. It felt so perfect to be able to call her that.

Marinette loved it too.

Whether it came from Adrien or Chat Noir, the sound of his voice was the same. The feeling behind it was the same. She loved being the one that he called his partner.

Speaking of Adrien.

"Not going to detransform?" she questioned. Normally he would have detransformed by that point so that they could be a bit more comfortable.

"I can't stay for too long, if I detransform then I'm definitely going to find an excuse to stay with you longer. All you get is Chat Noir today Princess." He takes her hand and places a single kiss on the back of it. "Hope you're not disappointed."

"Of course not, I like Chat Noir too." Marinette would have never imagined herself saying those word but here she was, whole heartedly meaning those words and then some.

"Really now? I thought you were dating some model named Adrien? Never took you for a two timer Princess," he says as he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her back to his chest, "I don't mind as long as I'm your favorite."

"Dork," she responds as she turns to lightly push him away.

"Oh just cuddle me already." He pulls her closer, her face to his chest as he places a kiss to the top of her head. "I snuck out for you."

"I can't, I'm already dating someone." Marinette tries to wiggle her way out of his arms in retaliation. "I don't think he would like me cuddling a stray cat."

Making sure not to put all his weight on her so as to not hurt her, Chat Noir moves so he's practically lays on her to keep her from squirming away.

"I know the guy, don't worry he won't mind."

Marinette attempts to push him off but quickly realizes he's not going to stop until he wins. "Okay okay, you win. For now. Just lay next to me, I don't want to be a Ladybug pancake."

He removes his weight from her and lays beside her so they are face to face. Though Marinette could not see well in the dark, Chat Noir could clearly see her. Once again he is stunned by just how beautiful she can be and is reminded of all the reasons he fell for her. He kept one arm around her waist as he brought the other up to cradle her face.

"Didn't you say you couldn't stay too long, we are going to fall asleep like this."

Despite her word, she snuggled closer to him. Reaching up, she lightly scratched his head and he melts into her hands. A low purr coming from him.

"You really are a cat." She says with a light laugh that fills his heart with joy.

He loves her.

Everything about her.

From her the affection she gives him to the smile on her face.

He loves her and wishes that things could stay the way they are for as long as possible

But Marinette knew that if she didn't stop that he would spend the whole night with her. Just so he could hug and talk to her. So she stopped scratching and began to remove her hands from his head only to have him push his face into her heads.

"No don't stop,"he whines, "I like your scratches."

"Fine fine, but only for a little longer," she says as she resumes scratching, "You're lucky I love you."

Chat Noir's body stiffened next to her as her words registered in his head. His face flushed to a red that would rival that of Ladybug's suit.

"Chat?"

He pulls her closer than before and hide his face in the crook of her neck. "I wanted to be the first to say it." He whispers. "I was going to say it today after dinner."

It's then that Marinette realizes what she had said, that she had said the word love instead of the usual like.

"Well I do uh and I s-"

Before she could continue she ramblings, Chat places a light kiss to her forehead.

"I love you too."

Even if he didn't have night vision, Chat could swear that he would be able to see how red her face had become.

"Your face is beautiful when you blush Princess."

And he loved it.

"Stupid cat," she mumbled as she tried to do as he had done before and hide her embarrassed face in the crook of his neck

"Oh no no no, let me see your face."

He grabs hold of her shoulders and gently moves her away from him so he can see he face in the little moon light that made its way through the skylight.

"You do this on purpose," she mumbles as she does her best to not meet his eyes.

"I have to, you're not as awkward or embarrassed around me like you used to be. You're purrfect."

"And here I thought I would finally have a night without a cat pun." She wasn't really complaining, she did like his puns when they were made at an appropriate time. She would never admit it to him.

"You know you love them, like you love me," he says with a smile.

"And you know you should get going soon," she retaliates.

"But I don't want to leave your side." To further push his point, he closes the distance there had been earlier when he made her show her face and nuzzled into her side.

"And what if your father or Nathalie decides to check up on you. I love spending time with you but don't get yourself in trouble over it."

"Fine," Chat says as he begins to sit up. "But may the Princes grant me a kiss for the road?"

"Okay, but only one."

But as he leans in for his goodbye kiss, Marinette sneezes, causing the two to bump heads instead.

"Ouch," he says with a hint of a laugh, "Princess if you didn't want to kiss me you could have just said so. No need to headbutt me."

"Very funny, but that reminded me, I'm sick. I guess that means no kiss for you."

"Please?" No shame in trying.

"Fine," she gave in, "but just on the cheek."

He could live with that.

There wasn't much that could leave someone like Chat Noir speechless, not after all that has happened in his life, but there was never a time that the feeling of Marinette's lips on his cheek didn't leave him speechless. It didn't matter whether it was the first time or the latest time, the warmth of her lips against his cheek left him feeling soft, warm, and loved.

As he left that night, all he could think of was see her again.

And how much he loved her.


End file.
